International NewsAhead of Sydney Opening, Australia’s Frozen Eases Social Distancing MeasuresThe capacity limit at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre has been increased to 85 percent.
By
Dan Meyer
November 23, 2020
Caissie Levy
Deen van Meer
The Australian production of Frozen will now play to 85 percent capacity at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre when it opens in December after getting the OK from New South Wales’ Health Minister Brad Hazzard. As previously announced, the production was originally set to open in July but pushed back due to the pandemic.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports the move to expand capacity is an attempt to inject some financial viability to an arts and culture industry ravaged by shutdowns or audience caps, but so far is the exception to a rule rather than a new standard.
Venues are currently limited to 50 percent capacity with a maximum of 1,000 people for any seated or ticketed event, or one person per four square meters. As has become the norm worldwide, masks are required for most patrons (children under the age of 12 are exempted) and audience traffic flow protocols will help enforce social distancing.
While the Capitol, owned by Foundation Theatres, can move forward with opening next month, other productions and performance groups were left waiting for approval. Pippin at the Lyric Theatre (also owned by Foundation) and a string holiday concerts at City Recital Hall with Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Pinchgut Opera, and Sydney Symphony Orchestra are still waiting to hear back from NSW’s ministry in regards to reopening.
After Broadway shutdown in March due to the coronavirus, Disney Theatrical Group announced it would not reopen Frozen on the Main Stem but focus instead on a national tour and international productions of the property, which also include a West End bow.
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Looking Back at Frozen’s Journey on Broadway
Looking Back at Frozen’s Journey on Broadway
53 PHOTOS
Caissie Levy and Patti Murin
Jenny Anderson
Jelani Alladin
Greg Hildreth and Kevin Del Aguila
John Riddle, Caissie Levy, Patti Murin, and Jelani Alladin
Andrew Eccles/Disney via EW
Patti Murin and John Riddle
Deen van Meer
Company
Frozen at the St. James Theatre
Marc J. Franklin
Caissie Levy and Patti Murin
Marc J. Franklin
Michael Grandage, Patti Murin, Caissie Levy, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and Robert Lopez
Patti Murin and Caissie Levy
Patti Murin as Anna
Andrew Eccles
Caissie Levy as Elsa
Andrew Eccles
Greg Hildreth as Olaf
Jelani Alladin as Kristoff
John Riddle as Hans
Patti Murin
Deen van Meer
Patti Murin, Caissie Levy, and the company
Deen van Meer
Caissie Levy and the company
Jelani Alladin and Andrew Pirozzi
Deen van Meer
Jelani Alladin and Patti Murin
Caissie Levy
Deen van Meer
Jelani Alladin, Patti Murin, and the company
Deen van Meer
Patti Murin
Deen van Meer
Caissie Levy and Patti Murin
Deen van Meer
Caissie Levy and Patti Murin
Caissie Levy, Patti Murin, Greg Hildreth, and cast
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Caissie Levy, John Riddle, Patti Murin, Jelani Alladin, Michael Grandage, and Greg Hildreth
Set after the decriminalization of homosexuality in India, the show follows the cross-continental love story through long distance and cultural clashes.
